Million-dollar reward in US manhunt

A one million dollar (£632,000) reward has been offered by US authorities for information leading to the arrest of the former Los Angeles police officer suspected in three killings currently being sought in Southern California's snow-covered mountains.

Published: 04:39, Sun, February 10, 2013

Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles police officer, is suspected of killing three people (AP/Lo [PA]

Camping gear was found along with weapons inside the burned-out truck belonging to suspect Christopher Dorner, 33. The truck found in the ski resort town was so charred that investigators could not be more specific about the nature of its contents, said Los Angeles police Sargent Rudy Lopez.

Police are also investigating a taunting phone call that may have been made by Dorner to the father of the woman they believe he killed last week. Officers are trying to determine if the call days after the killing was made by the fugitive - or a man posing as him.

Dorner has vowed revenge against several former Los Angeles Police Department colleagues whom he blames for ending his career.

On Saturday, police chief Charlie Beck said officials would re-examine the allegations by Dorner, a black former officer, that his law enforcement career was undone by racist colleagues. While he promised to hear out Dorner if he surrenders, Mr Beck stressed that he was ordering a review of his 2007 case because he takes the allegation of racism seriously.

"I do this not to appease a murderer. I do it to reassure the public that their police department is transparent and fair in all the things we do," the chief said in a statement.

Authorities suspect Dorner in a series of attacks over the past week that have left three people, including one officer, dead. Authorities say he has vowed revenge against several former colleagues. The killings and threats that Dorner allegedly made in an online rant have led police to provide protection to 50 families, Mr Beck said.

A captain who was named a target in Dorner's suspected manifesto posted on Facebook told the Orange County Register he has not been outside since he learned of the threat. "From what I've seen of (Dorner's) actions, he feels he can make allegations for injustice and justify killing people and that's not reasonable," said Phil Tingirides, who chaired a board that stripped Dorner of his badge.

Newly released surveillance video showed Dorner throwing several items into a rubbish bin behind a car parts store on Monday. The manager told FOX5 in San Diego that an employee found a magazine full of bullets, a military belt and a military helmet.

In his online manifesto, Dorner vowed to use "every bit of small arms training, demolition, ordnance and survival training I've been given" to bring "warfare" to the LAPD and its families.